"A marine, huh?"

A flood of wariness surged through her system at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Instead of turning to look at the source, however, she continued in her efforts to focus her slightly bleary eyes on the damning amber liquid filling the shot glass settled on the wooden bar before her. Some part of her mind was absently noting that she really should have stuck to only one glass. Her inability to hold her liquor was legendary among the marines stationed at her base.

Just because Kennit had taunted her by betting he could drink her under the table any day did not mean she should have followed the comment with what had now become an unknown number of shots. The number hadn't been enough to cause her to reach pass-out level, but she was reasonably certain that at least her motor functions were affected and perhaps her judgement as well. Or at least, they should have been at this point if the haze of her thoughts was any indication.

At the amused chuckle that followed her refusal to look at whomever had talked to her, she shot an irritated glare in his direction. The glare existing only because the amusement in his chuckle was completely matched by the amusement coloring his annoying handsome face.

"What's it matter?"

Even as the rather irritable words escaped her lips, her brow furrowed with yet another bout of annoyance. She could have sworn that her words weren't usually as mumbled as that- especially when she was supposed to have been making a sharp comment to warn off the unknown idiot that thought it was a smart idea to talk to her. The longer she stared at him, however, the more certain she was perhaps there were two idiots. Two idiots with dark, shaggy, unkept hair, black eyes, and an innocent dash of freckles across the bridge of his nose.

Somehow, something about the rather disarming appearance the boy wielded sent a scowl to her lips.

"Nothing," he replied with a grin.

"Then shut the hell up. Your voice hurts."

If anything, the amusement in his expression only grew.

"You're not supposed to get a hangover until after you've finished drinking," he pointed out.

"Go to hell."

"Not the people sort, huh?"

The next set of words that escaped her lips were far from complimentary, but so mumbled that even she had difficulty understanding what she'd been trying to say. The feeling behind it must have been obvious, because in an instant his irritating face was showing an even brighter grin than before, flicking a hand up to catch the bartender's attention.

"Whatever she's having. Obviously, it must be good."

Her glower was once again sent in his direction, something that seemed to amuse him to no end as he instantly proceeded to chuckle in response.

"So... a marine," he mused onced again.

"Aren't you observant?" she retorted, turning away pointedly and raising one hand to the tip of her shot glass.

Would another drink be a bad idea this point? Some part of her said yes, yes it would be. The rest of her, however, questioned what the harm was in taking another drink and perhaps flirting with a handsome stranger. The only other marine that was currently gracing the bar- rare as the bar was the most common place to unwind after a long day at the base- was passed out after their bet. Which meant that no one else would witness it if she was to let herself have just a little bit of fun.

"I'm glad you think so," he replied, not at all put off by the rather barbed edge to her words. Instead, he leaned forward so tha the could brace his cheek against his palm, putting his face into her line-of-sight despite her obvious annoyance. "Portgas D. Ace, and you are...?"

Then again, as most who knew her would say, she wasn't known for being fun.

"Not interested."

A playful edge flickered across his lips.

"That's an interesting name. So, Interested-chan-"

"Irie, dammit."

Loud laughter met her irritated response, the hand that wasn't holding up his cheek shifting over to grab the shot glass the bartender sat before him at that moment.

"Irie... now, that's pretty. Too pretty for a marine, and also a bit short. I don't suppose there's more to it?"

This time, she didn't justify his words with a response. Instead, she slipped her fingers around her own glass and quickly downed it, stifling the little voices in the back of her head telling her how bad of an idea that was. When this action was met with another bout of laughter on his side, as well as him knocking back his first round, she turned another irritated glower in Ace's direction. He simply offered her that bright grin of his, never moving his hand away from his face.

"You do understand not interested, right?" she questioned.

He rose a brow, that playful edge to his expression still in place.

"I do."

"Then why the hell--"

"Never said I was the sort to listen to others," he added, cutting into her grumbled demand. "Plus, I don't really think I have any other choices. Look around."

For a moment she stubbornly continued to glare at him, but as he lifted his face and waved with the palm not gracing his empty shot glass, she sighed and complied to the request. Still passed out at a nearby table was Kennit, his dark brown hair blocking view of his eyes, but the light snore escaping his lips making his unconscious state obvious even if she hadn't been previously aware. Around the other tables and stools in the bar were other males in various states of drunkenness, not another female in sight.

The reason for that was obvious to her. The fact it that the bar was frequented by marines looking for a break was no secret and the males who might come to hit on girls were aware that most that came into the bar were armed to the hilt and ready to break a stray hand and the girls that might want to hook up were aware that the single marines tended to head out to the other late night bar in town. Instead of pointing this matter out to him, however, she gave into the slight impulsive urge to play along.

"That guy over there looks receptive," Irie retorted.

Ace glanced in the direction she waved her hand, yet another laugh escaping him at the sight. The man in question was a rather bulky figure, the majority of his skin covered in tattoos and a scar cutting across his jaw.

"Extremely," he agreed. "Damn, I wish I'd noticed him before I came over here."

Despite herself, the slightest flicker of amusement crossed her face. A fact that was quickly concealed when he looked as if he might laugh again.

"It pays to pay attention," she retorted pointedly.

"I guess I'll just have to settle for what I got," he agreed.

She snorted, gesturing to the bartender for another shot.

"How flattering."

"One for me, too," Ace added when the bartender glanced at him questioningly. "Oh, and I'm glad you think so. I thought that was pretty smooth of me."

Irie rolled her eyes, giving in for just a moment as she allowed the smallest of smiles to touch her lips.

"It almost made me regret rejecting you," she said.

"Really?"

"I said almost," she reminded him, her smile slipping into amusement as he placed an exaggerated hand on his heart.

At that same moment, the bartender sat down their fresh shots, something she instantly shifted closer to herself.

"That hurts," Ace complained.

"Obviously not enough."

"Hm?" Ace questioned, plucking up his shot.

"You're still alive, aren't you?"

Instead of replying, he simply laughed and knocked back the strong alcohol. After eyeing him uncertainly for a moment, Irie did the same, albeit much slower. By the time she'd almost finished the drink, he'd already emptied quite a few more. With what may have been a drink induced, largely charming grin, he held up his own glass as she eyed the last bit of liquid in the bottom of hers.

"To your harsh rejection."

She furrowed her brow, attempting to decipher whether or not she'd just been insulted. When he continued to hold out his shot expectantly, she gave in and clinked her glass with his own. With that grin of his growing, he knocked back the host and settled it not too lightly atop the bar. It was only then her rather scattered mind took note of what was also sitting there among the multitude of shots- a brown leather hat. Distracted from what was probably another flirtatious comment on Ace's end, she studied it, attempting to make her gaze focus long enough to figure out what seemed so wrong about it.

The hat didn't seem to be anything special, a dark color with a small brim, a string hanging beneath it that was decorated by a few beads. Yet, the longer she stared at it, the more she felt that there was something her scattered thoughts should have been able to grasp onto concerning the hat.

"Ah, do you like that?" Ace questioned, scooping it up and dragging her attention back to him.

"It's..." Irie replied slowly, attempting to explain her problem and not finding the words she was looking for.

"Here," he interrupted, that playful edge to his head turning mischievous within a split second. "Lemme see something."

Following his words, without allowing for a moment to consider protesting, he leaned forward in his stool and plopped the hat atop her head. In the seconds that followed- in which her face turned a rather embarrassed and perhaps alcohol influenced shade of red- he studied with a rather appreciative expression.

Irie's snowy white hair clung to her face in short, uneven strands that ended just past her cheeks and made their heated state stand out all the more. Her strange yellow eyes stared at him in what was almost accusatory manner, her hands instantly scrambling to tug the hat from her head. With a chuckle, apparently satisfied by his assessment, Ace kept his hand atop her head to secure it in place as amusement replaced his appreciative expression. Without a word, he used his free hand to grab the string hanging in the air and securely tugged on it to tighten it so it was settled just beneath her chin.

She shot him a glower considering the fact that even if he was slightly buzzed- a fact he was well aware of- it wasn't enough to change the fact that he was a bit stronger than the comparably child-sized girl sitting before him. Even with both of her hands having scrambled to grab his and tug on it, his tanned hand hadn't budged an inch.

"Leave it," he instructed teasingly as he dropped his hands. "It's pretty cute."

At the number of flustered curses that escaped her lips in the following seconds- a fact that he noted wasn't accompanied by any effort to pull the hat off- he couldn't help but raise an impressed brow.

"You've got the mouth of a pirate, miss marine," he observed.

Instantly, her face flushed a different shade of red. Intrigued even further than before, he opened his mouth to add on another witty remark, only to stop as the door to the bar opened. Reflexively he glanced towards it, then tensed as he caught sight of the man that appeared.

His frame was draped in the traditional blue and white uniform of the marines, platinum blonde hair hanging shabbily about his face. Despite this, his deep blue eyes were left in clear sight, allowing Ace to easily follow the man's gaze as he glanced about the bar in obvious search of someone. Something that instantly told Ace his fun, and perhaps slightly intriguing, conversation was about to come to an abrupt end. Shifting about in his chair, dropping his feet from the metal rod decorating the bottom of the bar, he tensed in preparation to run. After all, Ace was acutely aware that picking a fight several drinks into a buzz with a marine in a marine filled town would be a rather stupid idea- even for him.

"Ensign Bardoni!"

Apparently having found one of the two people the man was probably looking for the marine darted for a table only feet away from where Ace and Irie sat. His target was a male that Ace had noted earlier that night- someone whom he'd made sure was completely passed out before he decided to have some fun flirting with an obviously marine employed girl. Hitting on her with another guy who probably would have been more than ready judging by how drunk he'd been when Ace had first stepped into the bar had also seemed to be a dumb idea even for the usually reckless boy.

While all of this flashed through Ace's mind, the newcomer slapped his hand lightly against the drunk man's cheek, only groaning when the action was met with an even louder snore.

"Ensign... how many times..." he complained.

As Irie opened her mouth- no doubt to make a smart-ass comment that would draw attention to their little duo- Ace flashed her a grin and caught ahold of the string dangling beneath her chin. In an impulsive action- most likely influenced by a combination of alcohol, a need to distract her, and a somewhat want for a flashy exit- he pressed a chaste kiss atop her forehead. Within a second of that he'd hopped to his feet, holding a farewell hand up in the air.

"See ya later, Irie~!"

Without waiting for her buddy to notice them- as the instant curses and tomato red face that resulted from his reaction would probably be a bit hard for the only sober man in the room to ignore- Ace shifted around her stool. Irie instantly scrambled to her feet in response only to lose her balance as the number of shots she'd drank over the night send a wave of dizziness through her head. He simply laughed as she latched onto the bar to keep from toppling over, then remembered the matter at hand as their little display did indeed cause the blonde to glance in their direction. Not wanting to stick around for the man to recognize him from a bounty poster, Ace took off for the door.

Leaving a rather stunned, ticked off Irie staring at his back.

That is, until she attempted to start after him and fell flat on her face.

__________________

If she never drank again it would be too soon. The multiple number of painkillers she'd taken since arriving in her currently dark office had done nothing to dull the throbbing pain in his head. A fact that had everyone on the same floor as her tredding lightly outside of her door.

The only thing that was currently ticking her off more than the pounding of her head that was the sight of the rather familiar brown hat settled atop her desk. The longer she stared at it, the more irritated she felt. Perhaps it was the combination of the pain that came from attempting to focus her thoughts on it and the rather maddening fact that no matter how long she stared at it, she couldn't remember what was so important about it. The night before was presumably the reason she'd come to possess it, but the majority of it was a fuzzy haze as a result of the before mentioned hangover.

When she'd woken up this morning sprawled across her bed in the apartment she shared with Kennit and another marine, it'd been settled atop her bedside table. The sight of it tickling some memory in the back of her mind, she'd grabbed it before showering and heading to work where she'd instantly turned off the lights and slammed the curtains shut to rid the office of all light.

"Irie~!"

As a loud curse escaped her lips, her hand dropped to the hilt of her katana in consideration of skewering the entirely too happy face that appeared in the doorway. The male- someone who should have been suffering from an even worse hangover than the one she was nursing- simply snickered at the death glower she sent his way. Instead of apologizing, he crossed the room, hazel eyes latching onto the hat that she'd been staring at herself only moments ago. Confusion took the place of his bright expression for a moment as the newspaper in his hand halted in the air just above her desk.

After all, it was a strange sight to see considering what had sent him barging into their shared office space.

"Hey... where'd you get that?"

"... don't ask."

He shot her a questioning look, but shrugged a moment later. Instead of questioning it, he dropped the newspaper atop the multitude of things littering her desk, shoving the hat to the side with one hand as he did.

"Lookie what I got."

"How strange. A man obsessed with the news has a newspaper."

He rolled his eyes.

"It's the new bounties."

"Your voice makes me want to impale you."

"Good to know," he continued, breezing past the threat with little care as he flipped to a page and gestured at it. "Look, that kid's in here again. The new one that appeared about a month ago."

"I don't give a--" she began, cutting off as her disinterested gaze froze, eyes locking on the face Kennit was pointing to.

Suddenly, the haze coating her thoughts lifted leaving the night open to her in crystal clear clarity. Her irritation growing by the second, she shoved away from the desk, ignoring the new wave of throbbing pain the action sent through her head. Within a second she'd seized the hat from where it laid among other scattered papers and sent a rather frighteningly determined expression Kennit's way.

"C'mon, we're going to see the Captain."

"...why?"

"A damn pirate, that's why. He was a damn pirate."

As she stormed out of her office, earning several curious glances from those close enough to catch the expression on her face, Kennit simply stared after her in confusion. Shaking his head, he darted after her within a moment, waving his hand in an attempt to get her attention.

"Hey, wait up, Irie! Who's he?"

"A pirate, dammit!"

A/N: Well, here you go! The beginning of the rewrite. Tons of thanks to PortgasDMaria for reading over it to help me get Ace down pat. ^3^ Hope you guys are as excited as I am to explore my new attempt at this story. I know it started pretty fast, but I decided perhaps diving right into the fun this time around would keep me from dropping it again! 

Until next time~

P.S. Awesome banner is by NeraineIsHere !